The problem is that any identity apart from one rooted in Christ is a false identity - it can be ripped from us and eventually will be. If I identify myself as a husband, a pastor, a good basketball player, a great singer, etc, what then becomes of me if I lose my wife, lose my position as pastor, tear my ACL and can't get that basketball scholarship or get throat cancer? If my identity is rooted in Christ and who he says I am, I will press through knowing that though I may lose everything, Christ is with me always and I am his no matter what. However, if these kinds of things are my idol, my life come apart and I will fall into despair.
Not so for the apostle Paul. In the beginning of Philippians, he shows us how he identifies himself and us:
"Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Paul identifies himself as a servant of Christ Jesus, an identity given to him by God which can never be taken from him, an identity which God has graciously given to all who love Jesus and trust in him alone.
Paul then refers to his readers as "saints." To be a saint means to be covered by Christ's atoning sacrifice and so have his perfect righteousness given as a gift, to be adopted into God's family through Jesus. This is an unshakable identity. We are now defined not by what we do, or how well we behave, but we are loved unconditionally as God's children. Our Father loves his kids. Period.
Don't settle for any identity other than God's son or daughter.
In the following weeks and months, we will continue to unpack this as we make our way through Philippians. See you on Wednesday.
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